


Blood trail

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Bows & Arrows, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-31
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-28 04:16:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8431510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: An undercover operation goes south and suddenly Peter and Neal are no longer hunting the bad guys..





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TantalumCobalt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TantalumCobalt/gifts).



> This story fills my `On the run´ square on my h/c bingo card. The story is inspired by this pic I found on the net and is a gift for Tantalumcobalt who asked for Fall fest ‘hurt/comfort and Neal being taken care of’.

[ ](https://www.dropbox.com/s/czj9lth92cb3rl4/Blood%20trail.png?dl=0)

 

 

_He is running, he can feel that isn´t going to be able to keep this pace for long as the stitch in his side is getting worse by the minute. His lungs are burning and he has a feeling he can´t get enough air.. Suddenly pain shoots through his shoulder, but before his brain registers the pain, he is hit three more times. His foot steps into nothingness and his momentum drags him forward, hitting his head of a rock in the small river._

“NEAL? NEAL!” Peter calls out.

“Where did you lose track of him?” the ranger, he introduced himself as Gerard, asks.

“I don´t know, I… everything looks the same.” Peter stammers while studying the forest. He is still sort of in shock from the cold and exposure he endured earlier.

“It´s OK, I called in a scent dog, do you have anything piece of clothing from you colleague?”

“His jacket is in the hunting cabin, they took it off before chasing him out.”

Peter fears why Neal isn´t responding, logically he knows that maybe Neal ran too far and is out of hearing range. Which wouldn´t be strange as Neal is athletic and good at running. Peter smiles inwardly. Yeah, that is it, Neal outran them and that is why he isn´t answering Peter´s calls.

Peter joins the ranger back to the cabin and a big pickup arrives. The dog in the cage in the back is already howling. It must feel that something is going on. The ranger that arrives introduces himself to Peter as Arthur. Arthur starts asking questions like, how long since the trail was formed. Peter tells him what happened and he thinks, Neal left the cabin about three to four hours ago.

Arthur gets the dog out of its cage and Peter can see it is a magnificent black and tan male coonhound. Neal´s coat is taken out of the evidence bag and held for the dog to sniff. He starts walking around them and starts trailing. He must have picked up the scent, so the party of men follow him. They travel quiet some distance when Boomer, Peter learned his name from Arthur, starts howling and pulling the harness.

The group follows the dog and soon they reach a small river. Peter rushes forward when he sees Neal lying down in the river. They can´t turn him around because there are four arrows in his back. Peter checks, but luckily, Neal´s mouth and nose are above the water and he is breathing. They check his pulse and it is there, a bit rapid, but good enough for now. However, Neal has lost a lot of blood and his skin feels ice cold. So the rangers decide to lift Neal out of the water. One of the men takes a several survival blankets out of his backpack and puts one of them on the ground. Then they lift Neal and place him on top of it, carefully draping two other blankets over his legs and upper body. Boomer lays down next to Neal to keep him warm. The most discerning fact is that Neal doesn´t shiver, so he must be severely hypothermic, his lips are bluish and his skin is ivory white. The minutes thick away and Peter gets more anxious the more time passes. He draped himself next to Neal to keep him warm with his body heat. He knows it is a feeble attempt, but he needs to do something and he hopes Neal is aware on some sort of level while he babbles about everything an nothing at the same time.

Eventually, they can hear a helicopter. It must have landed in some clearing, because it still takes the paramedics about fifteen minutes to reach their patient. They immediately check his vitals and start an IV. Neal is quickly stabilized for transport and carried to the helicopter.

When they arrive at the helicopter there is a bit of jostling before they have the gurney on board and Neal moans, but he doesn´t wake up. Once they have Neal on board, the helicopter lifts off. Peter can only watch it fly away.

“Let’s go agent Burke, we will drive you to the hospital.”

“Thanks.”

Once in the patrol car, it doesn´t take long before Peter falls asleep in the back of the car. He only wakes when someone shakes his shoulder. When he looks around, Peter can see the patrol car is parked in front of the emergency entrance of the local medical center.

“You OK?”

“Yeah thanks, I...”

“No worries, go see your partner.” Gerard smiles. “I will speak to you later.”

Peter enters the hospital and it is obvious that his arrival is announced, because the nurse at the desk addresses him by name.

“Special agent Burke?”

“Yes.”

“You partner was brought in by helicopter and after being stabilized in the ER, sent in for surgery. If you would like to go to the surgical waiting room, it is a bit more comfortable then down here. Take those elevators to the second floor and report to the desk, they will tell you where to wait. Do you need to be checked out?”

“No, I wasn´t hurt. Thank you.”

Peter follows the instructions and again is met with a friendly nurse explaining him where he can wait. The waiting room is empty. He lets himself fall in one of the couches and closes his eyes. He needs a minute to grasp what happened and how everything could go so horribly wrong so fast.

“Agent Burke?”

“Yes?”

“Would you like some coffee?”

“Oh, that would be fantastic, yes please.”

The nurse leaves him again. When she returns, she is carrying a tray.

“We don´t have a full meals, since dinner is already over, but I managed to whip up a sandwich and some pudding. Hope that is OK?”

“It is more than OK. I didn´t realize I was hungry until now.”

“It is typical for people who wait to hear news from loved ones.” She gives him a reassuring smile.

“If you don´t mind, let me check out that bruise on your face first.”

“It is nothing, I was just punched, not the first time, probably not the last time. There is nothing broken, just bruised.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, thank you.”

When the nurse leaves, Peter picks up the coffee and holds his hands around the cup. It is good to feel the warmth of the beverage. When he finishes the coffee he eats what is on the plate. The unease in his stomach seems to settle a bit with the food and he feels better. He reaches in his pocket for his phone and realizes the men in the cabin took it. He sighs, he really should call El and tell her he is fine, he should call the office, hell, he should call Mozzie, but the warmth of the room makes him sleepy and he isn´t really aware he falls asleep sitting up in the couch.

 

 

_“Or should I call you agent Burke?”_

_“What did you just call me?”_

_“You heard me, don´t play dumb with me. The call I just received informed me that you are not who you say you are…”_

_“That is ridiculous. You checked us out before we left the city, why the sudden change?”_

_“Let´s see, if you are Special Agent Peter Burke, than this must be your little lap dog.”_

_Peter just tries to show as much confidence he can._

_“Hey come on guys, we are here to buy those print plates. Just show them to use, We have the money, let´s make the exchange and we can all go home.” Neal tries._

_His jacket is pulled of his back and Neal squawks undignified. Two man grab him while the leader takes a hunting bow from a rack on the wall._

_“I suggest you run bunny.”_

_Neal is pushed out of the cabin and he starts running. It only takes seconds before Peter doesn´t see him anymore in the thick foliage._

_Peter tries to grab the bow, but he is hit in the face and stumbles. Tie him up, I will take care of him later, First, let´s have some fun.”_

 

 

* *  *

 

Neal is vaguely aware of being cold, wet and in pain. But it feels strangely distant. He tries to open his eyes, but it seems like too much effort and he just let go of consciousness.

 

The next time he wakes is when he feels nauseated because of movement, he can´t open his eyes, but he feels he is being carried and the movement makes his back hurt, but again, he can´t seem to stay awake.

 

After what feels like forever, Neal is aware that he is warm and comfortable, there is no pain. Something changed but he is not sure what. This time he seems to be able to open his eyes. He can hear faint snoring next to him and he turns his head to the sound. It is only then that he realizes he is laying face down in the bed. There is an IV in his hand, so he is in a hospital. When he focuses on the sound, he smiles. Peter. Good, he is safe. He wants to say something, but he is so sleepy he can barely keep his eyes open. Maybe just a quick nap, that will help.

 

 

* *  *

 

Neal wakes because he can hear people talk. He slowly opens his eyes, blinking against the light.

They must have noticed that he is awake, because the voices come closer. He wants to move, taking a breath when the pain hits him.

“Neal, good to see you are awake. How are you feeling, much pain?”

“Yeah.” He croaks.

“That is to be expected, I will up your pain medication. It only takes a couple of excruciating painfully breaths when he can feel the drugs starting to take effect. The pain dulls, but it also makes him sleepy again.

“Thirsty.” He croaks again.

“A bendy straw appears in his line of sight and he gratefully sucks it. The water is room temperature, but it feels like it is the best he has ever had. His eyes start to droop again.

“Sleep Neal, I´m here.”

It´s Peter. Of course, he saw Peter earlier in the bed next to him. Was he hurt? He wants to ask, but before the thought can make it to his mouth, he is asleep again.

 

 

* *  *

 

Neal sleeps a lot, the doctors explained that this is normal. Even though the arrows hit nothing vital, Neal lost a lot of blood. Two arrows were just flesh wounds, the one in his side and leg, but one hit a rib and broke it, the other caused a crack in his shoulder blade. They make breathing painful, and because Neal was hit in the back, they placed in on his stomach, which doesn´t make his breathing easier, but that way the wounds can heal without pressure.

Neal wakes but never long enough to talk long, they are mostly words, but all his friends are happy that he´s healing. They all take turns sitting and holding vigil with him. He is never alone when he wakes.

Mozzie takes mostly nightshifts, he likes the quietness of the hospital and the fact that there are less people around. He has been reading to Neal for some hours when Neal starts stirring and Mozzie gets up from his seat.

“Hey Neal, how are you feeling?”

“Seriously Mozzie, conspiracy theories?” he rasps.

“I thought it would be the best way to bore you. Are you hurting?”

“It´s OK. Do you have some water?”

“Yeah, here.”

Mozzie gives Neal the cup with a bendy straw. Neal learned by now, not to drink too quick, so he carefully sips the water.

“Thanks.”

“You seem better. This is the first time you are awake this long.”

That earns him a small smile. “I feel better. So how long have I been here?”

“Two days. You have been sleeping a lot.”

“What happened? Was I shot?”

“Yes and no, you were shot with a compound bow. But you are doing well, the doctor doesn´t expect any long lasting effects.”

“That is good.?”

Neal´s eyes are already drooping again and Mozzie tells him to go to sleep as it is the middle of the night. A couple of minutes later Mozzie can hear Neal´s breathing evening out. He settles back in the chair with a book on ancient code making.

 

 

* *  *

 

 

The next morning Neal wakes before the staff starts their rounds. He checks, but Mozzie has already left.

When the nurses come in, they explain that they will try for him to sit up more which means they are going to turn him around. They are in the middle of the exercise when Peter enters the room. Neal is breathing hard since the changing in position puts extra strain on his rib and shoulder blade. They aid his breathing with a bit of oxygen before breakfast is served. Neal is really hungry and he finishes everything on the tray so Peter promises to ask El to bring in some favorites later today.

And then there is breathing therapy. Peter grimaces when he sees Neal struggle but he manages and the doctor decides that Neal is well enough to leave the hospital the next day if his oxygen levels stay up like they do. He can do the therapies as an outpatient.

Peter makes a couple of calls and informs Neal that he is will be recuperating at his place. He learned that June is out of town and he doesn´t want Neal to be alone in the house.

Neal tries to argue with him, but his heart is not really into it. He is sort of grateful that he doesn´t have to stay in Junes house alone.

He continues to work with the therapists during the day, so they will sign of on his discharge papers. Everything is better than staying here in the hospital.

Peter comes over after work and brings dinner, some tomato soup and fresh buns. But Neal is not really hungry. The nurse explains that the pain killers have that side effect, but that he should try to eat. When the nurse promises to bring some protein shakes if he doesn´t, Neal does his best to eat a bowl with half a bun.

Later that night, Neal asks Mozzie if he is also coming over when he will be staying with the Burkes. He only gets a dismissive snort.

 

 

* *  *

 

The next day, his physician declares him fit enough to recuperate at home after a last check, and Neal is send home with a prescription for antibiotics and painkillers and an appointment for several therapists.

Getting in the car is an ordeal in itself and he is glad once he sits down. Peter drives as careful as he can and Neal drifts asleep.

Getting into the house isn´t any easier and Neal is winded when he finally stands in the living room; Peter lets Satchmo back in the house when Neal is sitting down and he holds him so he doesn´t jump onto Neal in his excitement. But the dog quickly settles as he somehow senses that Neal is not OK. And when Peter hands Neal his pills and a glass of water and Neal lies down on the couch, Satchmo stays next to the couch in protection of his human.

Neal only wakes when El enters the house and Satchmo gets up to welcome her. Peter already started dinner and Neal can smell lasagna.

“Hi sweetie, how are you feeling?”

“OK. Tired even all I seem to do is sleep.”

“Your body is healing and that is taking a lot of energy. Do you want to eat on the couch or at the table?”

“At the table, please. I don´t want to feel like an invalid.” He says defiant.

El knows better than to try and talk him out of it. “Peter, can you help Neal please?”

“Of course.”

Peter walks up to Neal and slowly helps Neal up. They slowly walk to the table with Peter trying to keep Satchmo away from Neal so he won´t trip.

Once they are sitting, Neal is a bit paler, but smiling.

“Well Peter, I didn´t know you could cook.”

“Of course I can cook, what kind of a question is that?”

“PETER BURKE…” El calls out from the kitchen.

“OK, I didn´t make the lasagna, El did, I only put in the oven. But I know how to make it.”

Neal chuckles. This feels good, it feels like family.

 

 

 

 


End file.
